


Aere Perrenius

by theshortstormtrooper



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Has Issues, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Anakin Skywalker has PTSD, Anakin and Padme centric, Awesome Padmé Amidala, BAMF Ahsoka Tano, BAMF Obi-Wan Kenobi, BAMF Padmé Amidala, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Jedi Ahsoka Tano, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Mentioned Shmi Skywalker, OOC Anakin Skywalker, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Padawan Ahsoka Tano, Prequel, Protective Padmé Amidala, Shmi Skywalker Deserves Better, Slave Anakin Skywalker, Slow Burn, Starts out slow for the first few chapters but picks up pretty soon, Tatooine Slave Culture (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:56:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29554575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theshortstormtrooper/pseuds/theshortstormtrooper
Summary: Prequel Trilogy AU- Anakin was never found by the Jedi in Episode 1. Instead he stayed as a slave on Tatooine. Life hasn't gone too nicely for him and he has detached himself from others and barely makes it day in and day out. The Pain, Trauma, and Tortue he experienced has turned him into nothing, a lifeless droid. His mother's words never left his head, and they always kept pushing him through each day, but it still wasn't enough to help him. When Anakin is at his worst he wants to get rid of it all and finally rest in peace, but something happens. It's Hope and it has come to save him from the pits of Hell, or so did it. Based off of my OneShot- "We Found Hope In A Hopeless Place"
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker & Shmi Skywalker, Barriss Offee/Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala & Ahsoka Tano, Padmé Amidala & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 12
Kudos: 50





	1. Hope Always Prevails

**Author's Note:**

> This took me awhile to write up and plan out because i wanted to make it different from all the other Anakin was never found by the Jedi type stories. I hope yall stick around and enjoy where I take this story.

"Anakin, you better be done fixing that droid up, my client is on his way to pick it up." A gruff voice called from the front of the shop.

Anakin didn't reply back to the banta poodoo who yelled at him, Watto. The thought of even giving the man any sort of reply back sent a gag to Anakin's throat and he fought the urge to throw up all over again.

If someone asked Anakin any sort of question back a few years ago, he would have given them an answer with the most upbeat attitude and childhood innocence, but those days have long been gone now. He isn't some curious and outgoing boy named Anakin. He is nothing. He is the shell of his old self that just embodies the physical realm of the man the people call Anakin Skywalker.

This detachment from himself all started after his mother died, which was easily the most traumatic and heartbreaking moment of his entire life. He cut off everybody who tried getting close to him, for his own benefit. No one could get through to him, and that is how he wanted it to be. He didn't want to get attached to someone so dearly like his mother, and lose it all like some slaver scum betting on a game of Sabacc. Anakin was ruled by fear of losing the ones he loved, and always has been since that fateful day. It was always him and his mom, now it's just him, and the people who make his life a living hell.

Whenever Anakin gets in trouble which is basically a daily occurrence, he is punished. The punishments range from punches to the jaw, to stripping him naked and forcing him to run outside in the heat, electrocution, to rape, and to full on tortue. He can't even begin to count the amount of cuts, scars, and bruises littered over his body like some mosaic painting hanging on a wall in Jabba's palace.

Almost all the times when Anakin laid in some battered old room after being violated for many times that night, he would always stare at the ceiling of the room and contemplate death.

He knows death all too well. It's basically a daily occurrence on Tatooine and particularly Mos Espa, but Anakin can't describe the concept of it. He can always feel it, it surrounds and attracts him like he is it's beacon. He has seen death all around him such as when he saw a little girl being raped and then hanged in an alleyway on his way home, or when he saw Jabba kill 20 of his own people just for the simple mistake of not getting him his food on time. The image of death displayed through Anakin's mind is like that of a raging sea battering against the soft shores of a coastline beach. Whenever someone dies, Anakin's mind pushes a sort of image of a raging sea swarming the sands of an island and completely destroying everything in its path. The sea is like the harbinger of death and the sand is the victim awaiting it's fate like a bird without it's wings lying in the field waiting for the beasts to kill it's pathetic self.

Anakin quickly shook his head from the thoughts that he knew would eventually lead him to start crying and curling up in the chair in which he has been sitting in for the last 10 hours. He instead shifted his gaze down at what he is working on. A classic pit-droid mainly used to help maintenance ships on the major Tatooine spaceports, or in the pod-racing trenches, the same ones that little Ani was accustomed to. Anakin has dealt with many of them already so this one wasn't a very hard one to work on. He picked up the tool on his right and started to tinker with the droids circuit board to see if all the sensors were on. He needed to see if they worked so he could start running a diagnostic test on the droid's software. He quickly checked that all the circuits were in place, and was now ready to start the process. Just as he was about to startup the diagnostic process, Watto flew into the room and stopped right next to him.

"You gonna answer me boy, or keep ignoring me?"

Anakin didn't answer, instead fixing his eyes to the circuit board and continuing his work. Just as he was about to pick up the board to initiate the diagnostic process, Watto grabbed the board from him and held it in his hand. He then quickly used his other hand to roughly grab Anakin's chin and grip it so much that it caused Anakin to scream out in pain.

"You better answer me, boy, or you know the consequences that will happen." Watto growled while flapping his wings in an aggressive manner.

Anakin looked up at him and finally deflated. He hated doing this, he kriffing hated giving this man what he wanted. He Hated him. He wished that Watto would just flop dead right now, he wished he could hurt him back. But Anakin can't do anything, he is just a slave. A stupid obedient slave who couldn't save his mother or anyone he cared about for that matter. He is a failure, and that is hardwired into his brain just the same as any droid is. He whispered, "Yes Master."

Watto gave a devilish smirk knowing he finally broke the tough mental barriers of Skywalker and responded, "I want you to go home, you're done here for today."

Anakin's eyes widened in panic, "W-What, but Watto. I didn't even fi--"

Anakin didn't get to finish as a hard fist collided against his jaw causing his head to be thrown back against the chair like a ragdoll. His body screamed in pain, and for the first time today he was afraid. He knew what this always led to, and today he wouldn't be able to handle it. Please not today, Anakin all but pleaded in his mind.

Watto raised his crinkly fat claw and hissed, "You listen to me, you little slave. You don't question me anymore, remember. You know what happens when you do that!"

Anakin flinched, not at his tone, but more of the underlying threat. If Anakin didn't obey, he would be turned over to the pleasure pits tonight. And how the Hutts love their golden boy of Tatooine, the pleasure, Anakin Skywalker. The former podracing champion and prodigy, now turned sad, broken, tortured, and traumatized slave.

"Now, GO.!" Watto roared and Anakin quickly got up from his chair and practically ran out the store which he worked at, more like forced to work at.

\- - - -

Anakin wrapped his old torn cloak around him as he made his way onto the dusty roads of Mos Espa. It was dusk turning into night, and Anakin had to pick up his pace because as every slave knows, it's never safe to be out alone at night especially for a valuable slave like him.

He quickly strode through the streets like a speeder bike. He was unnoticed by the few who wandered the streets at this time and Anakin transcribed that to how his heart feels. He looked up to the sky and whispered, "My heart is unnoticed to you huh, because everything just keeps going wrong in my life it seems."

It's as if the universe gets a laugh or two by watching Anakin suffer day in and day out. They never take his choices or feelings into account, and that's just how life is on Tatooine for a slave. It's cruel, demoralizing, and numb. It leads to the point of where you don't even know yourself. The point Anakin is at right now. It makes it seem you are just looking at yourself through someone else's eyes instead of your own.

A gust of wind brushed against Anakin's cheek and he instinctively pulled his cloak closer to his body. How he hated this kriffing planet and everything about it. There was nothing good about it. The hot sand burning your skin alive like a pest of mites found in a rotten piece of bantha meat or the unforgiving night chill that permeated through the air like a butcher slicing a block of butter with his or her blade. "Kriffing, Kriffing, Kriffing, piece of s--"

Anakin was so lost in his hatred of the planet he resided on, that he didn't see the small stone sticking out of the sand. His right foot collided with the stone and he fell forward, landing onto the sand in a tangled mess. Anakin quickly gathered himself up and brushed off his cloak and muttered to himself, "Great, now it's all over me."

He brushed off as much of the sand off his cloak as he could and pulled his gaze towards the ground to see what he tripped on. As he spotted the object he tripped on, it's as if the universe and time itself suddenly stopped. No, No, No, No.

Anakin quickly knelt down and pulled the stone out of it's position lodged in the sand. He brought it to his face and quickly looked for the marker that would identify it was the one. He spun the rock in his hand, till he found the inscribing he was looking for. It was the letter "S''. The first initial of his late-mother, Shmi. The stone was her grave, and Anakin is standing on it right now. Now the memories of what occured years ago started to fill his mind, and Anakin was useless to try to stop them.

____________________________________________________

"Mom, where are you." Anakin called out. He was tired of waiting around at the house. Shmi went out to get some extra food for her and Anakin because a bad sandstorm was coming and they were desperately low on food, since Watto never bothered to give them food for the month. She told him that she would be back soon, but it has been five hours and she hasn't come back yet. A bad feeling swept through Anakin's mind like wildfire. It was an all to familiar feeling of death and despair as his mother would call it. He quickly dropped the wire he was holding in his hand and ran out of the house to go find his mom.

He glided through the streets of Mos Espa which glowed in the night by the stars in the sky. Anakin usually would have stopped and looked at the stars that always seemed to bring him a sense of peace, but he didn't have time for that. He needed to find his mother, and that is the most important thing to him at the moment. He quickly took a sharp left into an alleyway which led to the main square of the Mos Espa City Center, where his mother would most likely be looking for food. As Anakin sped through the alley, he felt a sharp pain buzz through his head like a shock from a slave collar. He fell to the ground in an instant and quickly grabbed his head in hopes to relieve the pain, it didn't work at all. It actually seemed to intensify it. As he wreathed in pain, the same familiar feeling of dread filled his sense and flowed through his veins, something bad really happened now. He let out a pained wheeze as he brought himself to his feet. He gave himself a moment to collect himself, then he began to sprint out to the main square looking for his mother. The site that beholden him, will haunt him for the rest of his life.

There is his mother. Lying in the middle of the sand, with blood splattered all over her body, and her clothes ripped to shreds along her body. It basically looked like she fought a Rancor and barely came out alive. Anakin quickly ran over to his mother in a frenzy and knelt down next to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and gently shook her, "M-mom!"

His mother's warm brown eyes opened and she croaked out in pain, "A-Ani?"

"YES, Yes, mom it's me."

Anakin could see the sparkle come back to her previously dull eyes and she brought her hand up to caress his cheek. "M-my...beautiful...s-son." 

Tears streamed down Anakin's face and he was useless in trying to wipe them away. He wrapped his tiny arms around his mothers frail and failing body and choked out, "M-mom you h-ha--"

"Ani listen to me."

Anakin brought his gaze over to his mother's eyes and the acceptance in her gaze told him everything he needed to know. She is going to die and he can't do anything about it. The only one who ever brought him such love and happiness is going to be taken from him. He can't even look at her anymore, he just can't.

A firm hand cups his cheek and forces his gaze back to her. He can barely see her through his teary-eyed gaze but he can feel her presence around him, it's as if a warm blanket was placed around him and shielded him from the cold of the night.

"Y-you have to be brave now, Ani. D-don't give...up. Once you L-lose...hope, then that's when you l-lose yourself. You will know when you found Hope, b-because you won't b-be...able...to describe it."

"M-Mom, don't go, I need you." Anakin pleaded desperately.

Shmi took one last deep breath and breathed, "I love Ani, I always did and always will." She then closed her eyes and her whole body relaxed into the sand. Finally escaping the torment she lived through for the last few hours.

Anakin just stared at his mother's lifeless body, till the thoughts of what just happened finally hit him, and he let out a sob as he hugged his mother's limp form, desperately calling out to anyone to help his mother, but to no avail.

___________________________________________________ 

Anakin awakes from his visions to find his fists clenched so tight that his knuckles are turning stark white. Tears are streaming down his face from the memories he just relieved. He needs to get out of here and get home. Anakin bends down and kisses the ground where his mother lays beneath. He takes a deep breath and sniffles, "I will always love you, Mom. And may Ar-Amu bless you always." He then stood up and began to run back to his house before anyone found him.

\- - - -

Anakin barged through the front door to see Threepio fussing around with a tray of steaming bantha stew.

"Oh thank the maker you are finally ba--."

"Not now Threepio, can you just leave the tray on the table and power yourself down for the night." Anakin ordered.

"Bu--"

"Just Do it."

"Yes, Master Ani." Threepio responded and picked up the tray and walked back towards the kitchen. Anakin quickly stripped himself of his cloak and strode over to his mother's rocking chair. As he gazed at her chair, memories started to swarm his mind, but Anakin shook his head from such thoughts, not right now. He quickly grabbed the blanket on top of it and strode over to the stairs that led to the rooftop of his home.

Anakin opened the door and walked onto the rooftop. He padded over to the chair he set up in the corner and grabbed some of the extra blankets he left outside. He grabbed the blankets and gently laid them down on top of each other. He then settled down onto the blanket and grabbed the blanket he found on his mother's chair to cover himself from the chilly air. He then began to lose himself in the starry night sky that illuminated everything around him.

\- - - -

As Anakin laid on the rooftop of his home staring at the stars that littered the Tatooine sky, he thought of freedom. What is freedom? How do normal people live? What is life outside of Tatooine like? All these questions lingered in Anakin's mind as he gazed at the stars, enjoying the warmth and security it brought to his inner self.

Freedom was a bitter thing to think about among the slaves of Tatooine. Freedom was seen as idealistic, as a false dream that drives slaves to delusion and a quick death. It was a false hope pushed by the slave masters to knock out the weak and keep the strong in check. But, to Anakin and his mother it meant much more, it meant Hope.

Freedom is what kept him and his mother going when all was lost. For all the torment, trauma, and pain they experienced for years as slaves. Nothing else gave them that push then the thought of freedom, until recently. The day Anakin found his mother badly beaten and left to rot in the middle of the city center. That was the incident that broke the barriers in his mind. Years of torment, anguish, and pain as a slave couldn't compare to the pain he felt at that moment. His mother was his beacon of light. The swan of the Lake and Eagle of the Sky. She was his life, and it was ripped away from him like a piece of bantha meat at a butcher stand.

Tears started to build up in the corners of Anakin's eyes as the memories started to swarm his mind again. He was able to stop the anguish earlier but he found it way harder to do now. He quickly brought his hands up to his eyes and tried to wipe the tears away to no avail. The stream came, then the steady flow of tears glided down his tan cheeks like the majestic waterfalls of Naboo. The streams immediately turned into rapids. The sobs turned him into a heaping mess.

As the sobs wracked his body, a weird sensation hit Anakin that stopped the tears and pain. The sensation felt like something he never ever felt before. It felt pure, like a blinding light that brought you warmth and a sense of calm which was something he never felt in a long time. Anakin knew he had a special gift that no one else had, his mother said so. He was born without a father, which no one to his knowledge ever did. These feelings that Anakin feels, he knows it has something to do with him but he can't explain what they mean, he just uses his instincts. The feeling he is feeling now is something he could never describe so he doesn't even bother to comprehend it. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the nightsky.

He traced the stars till he saw a bright sleek silver starship that glittered and brightened the night sky like the sun's rays streaming through a blinded window. As Anakin lingered his eyes on the ship, he felt that feeling inside of him explode and more of the white blinding light filled him. Then he heard a faint whisper speak into his head, a voice he is all too familiar with, "You will know when you found Hope, b-because you won't b-be...able...to describe it."

As Anakin lingered his eyes on the ship and remembered the lasting words his mother uttered. He, for the first time in over 20 years  
found something truly extraordinary. He found an escape. He found Freedom. He found Hope.


	2. First Impressions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Story is starting out very slow for the first few chapter, but I promise it will start picking up soon. I'm taking the time to try to write Anakin as best as I can with the circumstances that he has been facing all his life.

As Anakin opened his eyes, he couldn't begin to fathom what had just happened to him. For the first time in over 10 years he slept peacefully without any nightmares plaguing him throughout the night. It was something that brought a small smile to his face. The type of smile to stretch the chiseled skin on his cheek and almost show the white of his teeth. He felt good, and he knows that today won't be some coincidence.

He quickly pulled himself up to the side of the bed and stared at his reflection in the mirror across from where he is currently seated at. He sees the small smile that graced his face not too long ago still there growing a bit by each second. Soon a small chuckle left his lips and then a full blown laugh had Anakin heaving on the ground. If anyone would have walked in on him at this moment they would have thought he is some deranged lunatic, and maybe they are right. Not that he would care.

As soon as it started, it suddenly stopped. The barriers in his mind closed quickly like the doors to a repulsor lift. His mind reeled back and forth so fast that it caused a sharp pain to hit him in the back of the head. He fell onto his knees with the pain beginning to bang away in his skull like a Bo-staff being battered against him. The words of old came back to haunt him and tamper everything good that had occured before.

_"Don't trust anything. Your dreams, your masters, even your friends and family. A slave can't trust anything, only themselves."_

Tears began to leak out of Anakin's eyes at an alarming rate. He dug his fists into the sand and clenched them so hard that they went numb. He is stupid, an kriffing idiot. How could he really fall into the trap of Hope? It never worked out for him and never will. It's his mind playing tricks on him, and he listened and obeyed it like a little womp rat. A fist suddenly collided into the sand, then another, then another, then another. Anakin let out an inhumane scream in anguish and started punching the sand even harder. His fists started to sting with the sand puncturing his skin and causing blood to ooze out from it.

Just as he was about to hit the sand again, the door in front of him whooshed open and Threepio shuffled into the room. "Master Ani, are you alright, I heard yelling."

"I'm fin--"

"Oh my, your hands are bleeding."

Threepio quickly walked out the room to get his master bacta strips. Anakin stared at him walking away and he didn't have the strength to call out to him. All the adrenaline, anger, and rage left his body leaving him so frail and small. Hopelessness and abandonment took it's foothold in his mind. He involuntarily curled up in a ball on the floor and hugged his knees together. This is the normalcy he has been living for the last 10 years.

Anakin stared at the grains of sand and let his mind take the words right out of his mouth, "The first 10 years were the most happiest days of my life, and the next 10 years were the worst of my life. Can my life ever get back to that happiness?"

The room fell silent as Anakin finished speaking and waited for Threepio to come back. Just as he thought, Threepio came in with a box of bacta strips and carefully handed it over to him. "I hope this is an adequate amount for you."

Anakin took the box from Threepio, "Y-yes it is, thank you Threepio."

"Breakfast is in the kitchen, ready for you when you finished cleaning up your hands."

Anakin whispered as he focused on his attention on the box of bacta strips, "Thanks"

Anakin immediately took one of the small water capsules provided in the medical package and began to pour it on his chafed skin. The cool liquid brought a burning sensation to his skin. It's as if he put his hand in a furnace and never took it out. It hurt so bad that tears started to form in the corners of his eyes. Anakin didn't stop though, slaves never stop. Slaves only stop when their Masters say they can.

He put down the water capsule and picked up one of the bacta strips and carefully placed it on his knuckles. The cool gooey substance immediately got to work. Anakin repeated the same process on his other hand. Once he finished he gave the bacta some time to soak into his skin. After a bit he got up and headed to the kitchen to eat before he headed to the shop.

Anakin finished his breakfast, and made his way over to the shop. Once he entered he quickly went over to his station and started working on the dismantled mouse droid that is lying on the table, most likely one of Jabba's.

Anakin sighed to himself, "Welcome to the slave's life on Tatooine."

* * *

  
  
Padmé felt ashamed of herself. How could she be so irrational, so stupid? This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't even remotely close to what was supposed to happen.

She looked back on the events that started it all. Assassination attempt after assassination attempt led to her fleeing Coruscant under the guide of the Chancellor and the Jedi Order. While Padmé respected the Jedi and the Chancellor's wishes, she didn't want to sit around and let the galaxy fall into a useless war that she knows could be solved through diplomacy.

The Jedi tasked to protect her on her trip back to her home planet of Naboo was the padawan of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano. She was a young Tortuga with orange and white skin and white and blue lekkus. Padmé overall liked her. She was snippy but nice to talk too, when Padmé was given the chance to talk to her. The padawan was so adamant on protecting her that she forgot about Padmé's say in the situation. To the people that know Padmé, they know how much she hates being bossed around, especially from someone younger than her.

So when the pair made it to Naboo, Padmé camped out in her room at the Lake Country till nighttime. Once the night sky illuminated the Naboo skyline, she quickly packed some supplies to add onto the ones on her personal yacht and fled to her ship. Once she reached the ship she quickly loaded her stuff onto the ship and raced off back to Coruscant. The goal, to make it back so she can be there to physically vote against the Military Creation Act. She needs to be there, the people and citizens of the galaxy are counting on her. And Padmé would be damned if she didn't do anything to stop the suffering that will come if the Act gets passed.

Little did she know everything would turn south for her. As soon as the ship exited Naboo's atmosphere, there were 3 pirate vessels waiting for her. _What the hell are pirates doing here_ , Padmé screamed to herself. When the pirates started firing on her ship, Padmé was sent into a frenzy and the person behind her as well. She turned around to find a frustrated Ahsoka who immediately took control of the ship and punched in random coordinates. Ahsoka then pushed back the lever and entered hyperspace, going to some backwater planet.

Padmé yelled at her for what she did and demanded why they were not en-route to Coruscant. Ahsoka grew frustrated with her and argued that it was for her safety and that she will understand in time. Padmé sat back in the chair and pondered over their predicament. Not only did she put her own life in danger with her little stunt, she also put the Padawan who was supposed to be protecting her in danger as well as punishment for the padawan from the Jedi for her lack of supervision on the Senator. How could she be so selfish and reckless?

So now they are both here sitting in the middle of the desert on a planet called Tatooine with a damaged hyperdrive. Padmé brought her hands to her face and mumbled into them, "Why."

"Oh, you know why." came a reply from the door. Padmé turned her head to find Ahsoka glaring at her. She has a sack on and her lightsaber holstered to her belt, she seems ready to get moving somewhere.

"Why are you all dressed up." Padmé asked.

"Because we need to find parts to fix this damn hyperdrive that you stupidly helped break."

Padmé sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knows what she did was stupid, but sometimes we have to do reckless things to get positive outcomes, right. "I'm Sorry, I wasn't thinking straight. It's just the whole Military Creation Act and the galaxy being on the brink of war has sent me in a frenzy. I'm tired and stressed out and I took it out on you, I'm the only one to blame."

Ahsoka breathed out a long breath and responded back to her, "N-no, I'm sorry Senator. I-I understand how hard it must be for you to not be on Coruscant right now. I know how it feels to be helpless sometimes, but you must understand my frustration."

Padmé nodded, "I do, I was just being reckless and selfish. I only looked at what I wanted to do and didn't take your choice or judgment into the decision, and I'm sorry for that."

Ahsoka seemed pleased with her reply and Padmé felt relieved that she was finally able to reconcile with her. Padmé felt a sort of bond with the girl, and that told her mind that maybe they could be friends. She knows she is a Jedi but she can still be friends with her, she is friends already with Master Kenobi, so she tested the waters a bit.

"You can also just call me Padmé from now on. Not Senator and not milady."

Padmé saw the eyebrows twitch on the padawan's forehead as she was thinking for a response to her, "A-alright Padmé."

Padmé smiled warmly at her and asked, "Good, now may I ask what our next step is?"

Ahsoka shuffled her feet a bit and was kicking imaginary dust in the air with her boot, "I was thinking that there is a town nearby called Mos Espa. We are gonna go over there, find some parts for the ship and fix it."

Padmé stood dumbfounded for a second. She then shook her head and said, "Ahsoka it's not that ea--"

"Padmé it will be if you just lis--"

Padmé stopped her, "No, Ahsoka you ha----."

"Look Pad----"

Padmé, realizing that the argument was going to go nowhere, spoke up, "Okay can we agree to disagree." Ahsoka just nodded her head, so Padmé continued, "We are both going to go into this town and try to find the parts we need to fix the ship. We should also comm the Jedi and the Chancellor. They should know about the predicament we are in."

"Understood mila--, P-padmé. I'm going to comm the Temple and Obi-Wan now."

Padmé smirked at Ahsoka's mess up, "I'll comm the Chancellor then." They both walked off to their private rooms onboard the ship to take their calls.

Padmé entered her room and sat down on the bed and opened up her comm. She entered the numbers to Chancellor Palpatine's office comm and waited for him to answer. Instead of hearing the voice of her old mentor, she was met with static. Padmé groaned, "Just when things were coming to start together."

She placed the comm on the bed and left the room to find Ahsoka. Just as she was walking to the room assigned to the padawan, that same padawan jumped out of the room with a scowl gorged on her face.

"Let me guess, your comm isn't working either."

"Yep."

Ahsoka gritted her teeth, "Let's stick with the plan, let's go into the town and find the parts we need."

Padmé agreed and went back to her room to get changed into more appropriate attire. She came out of the room dressed with a white skin-tight bodysuit with matching white boots. Ahsoka gave her a long brown cloak to conceal most of her outfit, so she looked less suspicious. She wanted to wear a different outfit but Ahsoka told her it would bring too much attention to them.

Padmé grabbed her small blaster pistol and attached it to her holster under her cloak. Ahsoka picked up her lightsaber and holstered it onto her belt. The two then proceeded to exit the ship and trek to the nearest town, Mos Espa.

* * *

Anakin heard a chime ring through the store which meant that someone entered the shop. Usually Anakin would be able to sense someone coming close to the shop but his mind is moving a thousand miles per hour and he is struggling to even concentrate on his work.

He then heard the flapping of his master's wings and prayed to Ar-Amu for whoever was going to speak to that bantha poodoo. He was in such a foul mood earlier in the day that he took all his anger out on Anakin, causing a deep cut to form between the skin above and below his right eye. The skin was still too sensitive to touch, and the sandy air wasn't helping Anakin either. He hopes the wound won't get infected, he will have to check with Threepio when he gets home.

The mouse droids he has been working with for the last few hours have been going smoothly. Most of the complaints from the associates to Jabba were the scratches and holes in the droids plating. Anakin easily replaced many of the damaged ones and installed new plating and polished them to make them brand new and up to Jabba's standards.

Watto suddenly flew in, "Anakin, go to the front and watch the shop. I have to bargain with this schutta in the yard."

Anakin didn't reply back, instead choosing to go to the front of the shop and holding down the fort as Watto liked to say. How Anakin hated picking up terms his master used. Kriffing piece o--.

"Hello." A warm voice called out to him.

Anakin lifted his eyes and was met by the most beautiful creature he has ever seen. No she isn't a creature, He scolded himself. She is an angel. Her brown cloak may try to hide her beauty but Anakin can still see her. Her brown chestnut curls tied into a weird spiral formation he can't really explain, warm brown chocolate eyes, pink plush lips, raised and firm cheekbones, small fitting nose, and beautiful proportions. Yes, she is perfect.

Anakin didn't know he was staring, until he noticed the dumbfounded look that crossed her face.

"Are you okay." The angel asked.

Anakin finally found his voice and stuttered out, "Y-yes milady, everything is fine."

That earned him an genuine smile from her, and Anakin wouldn't be lying if he told someone that his heart melted at that moment. How could a woman evoke such a feeling that he can feel flutters in his stomach. He never thought he could feel like this. All the women that he had been with, was never his choice. He was forced to be with them, forced to please them. Forced to degrade himself for their pleasure. Forced to kneel on the concrete floor like a diseased animal as they whipped and slapped him like a disobedient child. The harsh memories rushed his mind and Anakin let out a whimper. Not Now. Please not now.

"Are you sure, you are al--"

"I'm Fine." Anakin hissed through gritted teeth. He didn't mean to reply harshly like that, but it's something he always done. It's his defense mechanism from letting anyone know what he is truly thinking about.

The woman took a step back and was trying to analyze what she did wrong. Anakin didn't feel like explaining to her what she did wrong because no one understands and no one will ever understand. One person did understand him and the universe was happy enough to take her from him. So why should he even bother?

The woman opened her mouth to probably ask another question, but stopped when her eyes became transfixed to something behind him. Anakin turned around to see two figures come through the door that led to the junkyard.

"You really thought you could trick me Jedi." Watto yelled in glee and arrogance. "You are a fool to not know mind-tricks don't work on Toydarians."

Jedi. Like the fabled heroes of the Republic. The knights that carry around laser swords. The same ones that patrol the galaxy and protect and help people. Those same Jedi. The memories of young Ani burst out into ensembles in Anakin's ears and he listened to every single bit. The dreams he had, the visions he had about meeting one and eventually becoming one and freeing all the slaves. Could it finally be coming true? Don't give yourself Hope now Ani, look how well that turned out for you.

The so-called Jedi pulled down their hood and was revealed to be a young female Tortuga with a little braid attached to her lekku. Anakin would have thought she would be focused on Watto since he was boasting at her, but instead her blue eyes were glued on Anakin. A sense of awe and curiosity swam through her eyes and Anakin had to look away to escape her gaze. He hated when people looked at him like that, it reminded him too much of th--.

"Well we will be leaving then, if that makes you happy." The Tortuga answered, finally acknowledging the blue Toydarian.

Watto just laughed, "Yeah whatever Jedi, good luck trying to find a hyperdrive with those useless Republic credits."

The Tortuga said something under her breath and grabbed the arm of the angel that shook his world. The two then quickly walked out of the shop and out of Anakin's life. Just like everyone else. He turned around and went back to fixing up the mouse droids. The only thing he feels at this moment is disappointment, and emptiness. You know, the usual.

* * *

"Senat--."

"Ahsoka how many times do I--."

"Okay whatever, Senator, Padmé. Arghhhh." Ahsoka stopped herself and took a deep breath. Once she got her breathing under control she continued, "Look that man the one cleaning the parts, the blonde human." Ahsoka pointed into the shop where that same man was standing. "Yeah, he is force-sensitive."

"What." Padmé asked exasperated.

"He is insanely force-sensitive. Like the force surrounds him so much that it blinds me. He is like a supernova."

"Ahsoka what does this mean, where are you going with this."

Ahsoka shook her head, "I don't know. I have to consult with Obi-Wan and the Jedi Council. It's something I can't really explain."

Time seemed to pass between the two as they stood outside of the shop, contemplating on what to do next.

Padmé then spoke up, "Should we wait for him."

Confusion contorted on Ahsoka's face, "What do you mean."

"If you think he is as special as he is, then maybe we should talk to him without that annoying shopkeeper around. Like, we wait till he finishes his work and we go and ask him questions. Maybe he could get us a deal on a hyperdrive if we are nice to him."

Ahsoka looked off into the crowded streets of Mos Espa to think of another solution, she came up short. "I don't have much faith in this, but what else do we have."

"So we are clear then."

Ahsoka hummed in agreement. The two then fell in a comfortable silence, as they waited outside the shop for the blonde human that they have been discussing about. From Padmé's first impressions with him, it didn't go well at all. She prayed to the goddess Shiraya that everything will work out. She can only hope so.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do read all your comments so don't assume I don't. I do read them it's just sometimes I don't know how to reply back and sometimes I dont see the need to reply back to them, but you guys commenting does give me joy. It also helps improve my stories so please comment. Ill step up my reply game so we can discussions down there :)


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